§19-23-5. Executive director and other personnel; qualifications;
terms; powers and duties; compensation and expenses.
(a) The Racing Commission shall appoint an executive director
to represent the Racing Commission who shall have the powers and
authority and perform such duties as the Racing Commission directs.
The executive director shall preserve at the Racing Commission's
principal office all books, maps, records, documents and other
papers of the Racing Commission. The executive director shall, in
addition to all other duties imposed upon him or her by the Racing
Commission, serve in a liaison capacity between licensees and the
Racing Commission. The Racing Commission may also employ, direct
and define the duties of an assistant executive director and such
stenographers, clerks and other office personnel as it deems
necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it under the
provisions of this article.

(b) In addition to the employees referred to above, the Racing
Commission shall employ, direct and define the duties of a chief
clerk, director of security, director of audit, chief chemist,
stewards to represent the Racing Commission, supervisors of the
pari-mutuel wagering conducted under the provisions of this
article, veterinarians, inspectors, accountants, guards and all
other employees deemed by the Racing Commission to be essential in
connection with any horse or dog race meeting. The director of
audit shall be a certified public accountant or experienced public
accountant.

(c) No individual shall knowingly be employed or be continued
in employment by the Racing Commission in any capacity whatever:

(1) Who directly or indirectly, or in any capacity, owns or
has any interest, in any manner, in any racetrack where horse or
dog race meetings may be held, including, but not limited to, an
interest as owner, lessor, lessee, stockholder or employee;

(2) Who at the time is or has been within one year prior, a
member of the Legislature or an elective officer of this state
unless he or she is experienced and qualified as a racing official;
or

(3) Who has been or shall be convicted of an offense which,
under the law of this state or any other state or of the United
States of America, constitutes a felony or is a violation of
article four, chapter sixty-one of this code. Any steward employed
by the Racing Commission or by a licensee shall be a person of
integrity and experienced and qualified for such position by the
generally accepted practices and customs of horse or dog racing in
the United States.

(d) The executive director and all other employees of the
Racing Commission shall serve at the will and pleasure of the
Racing Commission. The executive director and the other employees
referred to in this section as employees of the Racing Commission
shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the Racing
Commission within the limit of available funds and shall be
reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties.

(e) All compensation and reimbursement for expenses of the
members of the Racing Commission, the executive director and all
other employees of the Racing Commission shall be paid from the
funds in the hands of the State Treasurer collected under the
provisions of this article and shall be itemized in the budget in
the same manner as all other departments of state government. No
reimbursement for expenses incurred shall be paid unless an
itemized account, under oath, is first filed with the State
Auditor.